Brendan Gleeson as Trump on Showtime, and Martin Sheen's West Wing Reunion on HBO Max. Irish actor Brendan Gleeson is widely acknowledged as one of the finest, most versatile performers of his generation. But it’s a safe bet that roughly half of his audience is not going to like him in his latest role. That’s because Gleeson is slated to play the most polarizing political … [Read more...] about Playing the President
Martin Sheen
Mothers of Influence
A sampling of quotes from men interviewed in Irish America over the past 30 years on the impact that their Irish mothers had on their lives. Hotelier John FitzPatrick “Dad was very successful but he wouldn’t have been a success without Mum. She was a great mother but she also helped him with the business. Where did I learn about interior design? I used to follow Mum around … [Read more...] about Mothers of Influence
The Star of West Wing Goes to Tipperary
Martin Sheen takes time out from a family reunion in Ireland to meet war protesters. ℘℘℘ Martin Sheen was in Ireland for a family reunion in May. His mother, Mary Ann Phelan, was born in 1903 in Borrisokane, County Tipperary, and Sheen and his brothers Frank, John and Carlos, and his sister Carmen, returned to their mother's home town for a celebratory mass in honor of what … [Read more...] about The Star of West Wing Goes to Tipperary
Rebel With a Cause
Martin Sheen, backed by fellow actors, discusses letter from Artists Unite to Win Without War that urges President Bush to seek a peaceful solution to the Iraqi crisis. Sheen, who plays President Josiah Bartlett, occupying a fictional White House in the award-winning television series The West Wing, and is the son of an Irish-born mother and Spanish-born father, has been very … [Read more...] about Rebel With a Cause
Martin Sheen’s Enduring Spirit
Actor Martin Sheen was awarded Amnesty International's Enduring Spirit Award for his tireless dedication to social justice. Of Irish and El Salvadorian heritage, he has been an activist for the rights of South and central Americans, protested political repression in Central America, and promoted more liberal political asylum policies in the U.S. The West Wing star has also … [Read more...] about Martin Sheen’s Enduring Spirit